


Paint Me a Picture of Me and You

by HeereandThere



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Colorblind Soulmate AU, M/M, Soulmate AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-01
Updated: 2018-06-01
Packaged: 2019-05-16 22:27:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14820077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeereandThere/pseuds/HeereandThere
Summary: It's said that, when you meet your soulmate, your world will burst into color.However, Jeremy's world was a little... different.





	Paint Me a Picture of Me and You

**Author's Note:**

> Based on one of these: https://omegawolfmyth.tumblr.com/post/169243738662/soulmate-aus. This list has some really neat ideas if you're looking for prompts!
> 
> Also, if it says this is the first chapter, please ignore it. I didn't even check multiple chapters, but for some reason it registered that I had. This is the only installment.

They say that, upon meeting the one you are destined to spend your life with, your world will abruptly burst into color. The ashen grays will melt into brilliant hues of yellows and blues and everything in-between, and the dull blacks will transform into gorgeous greens and deep reds. Your senses will be more than satisfied by the tantalizing shades of color that will then reform your perception of the world around you, a sweeping sensation matched only by the undying love for your new life partner.

Maybe that was why everyone belittled Jeremy.

He only vaguely recalled a world totally absent of color, but there was never a time when he experienced that flood of mesmerizing hues and emotions.

"That's not possible!"

"You either see a bunch of color or none at all."

"No one likes a liar."

Yet, no matter how much everyone else denied the truth of what he told them, he knew for a fact that there were no lies rooted deep within his story.

The very first time he saw any color was on the first day of preschool, at the ripe age of 4. Being as abnormally antisocial as he was at such a young age, the teacher offered some assistance in getting accustomed to his new surroundings, introducing him to several students that he still knew many years later. There was Brooke and Chloe, playing some game that no one could understand but them; Jenna, excitedly chatting away with an array of others; and Jake, who was attempting to build a tower of some sort as Rich watched on in awe. Before he realized it, Jeremy had officially met everyone in the class, barring one final boy, who was sitting alone and scribbling on a piece of paper.

"Michael?" At the sound of the teacher's voice the child, who Jeremy now knew was named Michael, lifted his head and gazed up at her with innocent eyes through glasses that didn't fit him too well. "This is Jeremiah. I was hoping you could hang out with him for today and make him feel welcome."

Michael's face lit up as he dropped his crayon on the table. "Okay!" he cheerily offered.

The teacher lightheartedly laughed at his enthusiasm before returning her attention to Jeremy. "I have a good feeling you two are going to hit it off." She noticed his wary expression; Mr. and Mrs. Heere had warned her that socialization didn't come easy for their son. "Don't worry. Michael's very sweet." Jeremy nodded hesitantly as she headed off to discuss matters with newly arrived parents and children.

"Hi!" Michael chimed, offering a hand for Jeremy to shake. When he didn't, Michael hurriedly reassured him that it was a friendly gesture. "I see grown-ups do it all the time. See?" He pointed at their teacher who was, in fact, shaking hands with a parent.

Reluctantly, Jeremy then followed his cue and took Michael by the hand, receiving a hearty shake from his new acquaintance. However, both of their faces fell in a matter of seconds. Michael's eyes widened in horror as he dropped his hand to his side, recoiling slightly. He tried to shake the terrified feeling off, but he seemed apprehensive for the rest of the day after going to the teacher multiple times for some sort of help.

Jeremy had no idea what had Michael so spooked, but he knew one thing that filled him with an odd brand of anxiety: from that day on, he could see dull shades of blue all around him.

Neither of his parents believed him when he admitted to this newfound ability until he was able to point out regions where the color was present. He was instructed not to tell anyone about this because of his age and the odd nature of the capability, an order which he followed carefully. Over the years, he obeyed it with even more motivation, since his popularity amongst the masses deteriorated; the last thing he needed was people knowing about this.

However, despite the incident that occurred upon their first meeting, Michael continued to stick with him until they went from acquaintances to as close as best friends could be. It was them against the world, two inseparable kids battling against anyone who sought to rip them apart. This went on for 7 solid years before conflicting thoughts flooded Jeremy's mind once more.

It was the simplest way for things to alter so drastically. The duo was following their daily routine, intensely tapping away at their controllers in Jeremy's room and donating all of their attention to the bloodshed occurring on the screen.

"Watch, dude, watch!" Michael leaned back as though what he did in reality would affect his gameplay as he scolded Jeremy.

"You don't think I'm trying?! There's too many! I can't keep track!" As a wave of zombies cornered him, the avatar that Jeremy had been controlling relinquished an agonized cry and promptly dropped dead. Jeremy huffed and settled down into his bean bag chair dejectedly; Michael cursed under his breath and tilted forwards, focusing on the task at hand.

It took a while, but Jeremy eventually realized that he wasn't staring at the events transpiring on-screen, but instead at Michael. He was carefully analyzing every little thing his friend did, from the way Michael inched closer and closer to the television as he got more focused, to the intense expression on his face that would have been menacing had it not been for his youthful face. That was the first time he could see purples and reds.

As time wore on and the two of them grew older, Jeremy trained himself to disregard the new colors that popped into his view. They began to appear at a more consistent rate until everything around him had been dyed some type of color, but a veil of dullness was draped over his vision. He wasn't sure why the pieces of the puzzle weren't connecting, but there was one thought he would adamantly stand by: Michael Mell was not his soulmate. Maybe Jeremy's genetics were messed up or there was some weird prophecy his parents had yet to inform him of, but he and Michael were best friends and nothing more.

When 7th grade hit, a new sort of hope struck Jeremy. That was the year Christine Canigula began attending Middle Borough.

She was perfect in every way, at least in his eyes. For years after their very first encounter (which was about as awkward as you're imagining), he hoped and prayed that maybe he had some sort of error in his mind, like a bugged computer, and that she was really the one he was destined to be with. For 4 years, he kept up this charade, and Michael was always there, playing the role of the supportive friend.

Junior year of high school was an absolute mess, but it was the year when everything came together, more or less. The final chapter of the story began when Rich, who was now older and meaner, offered to help Jeremy with this odd pill-computer-thing called a squip. It was a revolutionary type of technology from Japan that was supposed to make the user more appealing to their peers. It was also $600. Definitely a scam.

Actually, not a scam.

After some snooping at the Menlo Park Mall and the local Payless, Jeremy and Michael encountered Rich's hook-up and got their hands on the miracle cure for being a total loser, which Jeremy promptly took. Just like that, after the immensely painful introduction of a holographic figure that reminded him a LOT of Keanu Reeves, his popularity skyrocketed.

There was only one problem: his world resorted back to a bland fusion of blacks, whites, and grays.

"I can't see color, anymore," Jeremy offhandedly mentioned. "What did you do?"

"Don't be ridiculous," the squip nonchalantly retaliated. "It's highly unlikely that you're even able to comprehend the concept of color. Unless you've successfully interacted with Christine?" That quieted Jeremy.

He did, however, realize what the issue was when he was informed of something called "Optic Nerve Blocking", which he intentionally utilized to force Michael out of his life. The sudden disappearance of his player 1 had caused the sudden absence of color from his world, but popularity was pricey. If it took severing a 12-year long relationship, so be it.

Though, over the next few weeks, the squip began to do more bad than good. Sure, everyone absolutely adored Jeremy, but it ceased being fun when people began to get hurt. Fires were set, rumors were spread, relationships were utterly destroyed...

"It's human error," the squip insisted. "There are glitches in the system that must be fixed so you can achieve your goal."

The idea sounded ingenious at first. If everyone had a squip, then everyone can be happy, right?

Wrong. Oh, so very wrong.

Somehow, everything turned into a plot to develop a hivemind out of Jeremy's peers, which all began on the chaotic opening night of the school play. It felt just like before; everyone was out to get him, controlled by an urge to make everything one and the same. All felt hopeless until...

"Michael makes an entrance!"

It was such a dorky way to swoop in, but it was so... so Michael. He had a red bottle in his hand: Mountain Dew Red. The only thing that could stop the squip.

Wait... Red?

Red.

Everything after that gamechanging moment was a hectic blur, but Jeremy could still pick out solitary moments. A fight with Michael, the duo forcing their way through throngs of their squipped peers, being tempted to succumb to the hivemind by Christine, and, ultimately, defeating the squip before blacking out.

The moment Jeremy opened his eyes to the blinding hospital lights, nothing would ever be the same. New friends were made, the line between the winners and the losers became blurred, and it just felt like everyone was on the same page. Jeremy even got his chance with Christine, but something still felt out of place. He had a good idea what and, though he was nervous, he had to know if he was right.

It was late December, almost two months after the whole ordeal had been resolved; Middle Borough's students were out on winter break, so, of course, Jeremy and Michael were holed up in Jeremy's room as they gamed away. That is, until "PAUSED" appeared in large, white letters on the screen.

"What-" Michael began, but was interrupted.

"Can I try something?" Michael, taken aback, pointed confusedly at the screen. Jeremy shook his head meekly.

"Um... Sure?"

"You're sure it's okay?"

"I guess. You're scaring me a little, though."

"Okay, just... Swear you won't hate me for this." Michael nodded, but in a manner that showed he made no promises.

Jeremy took a deep breath to calm his nerves; he was shaking like a leaf.

_It's now or never._

With Michael's consent, Jeremy forced himself forward and pressed his lips into his friend's. His eyes were closed tightly to brace himself, so he couldn't see what was going on around him, but he heard a surprised sound from Michael and felt him tense up.

He had made a mistake.

He had made a REALLY, REALLY bad mistake.

He had gone too far and ruined their friendship and now Michael was never going to forgive him and-

Michael steadily relaxed and gently took Jeremy by the arms. Was that a good sign or a bad sign?

The kiss lasted for but a moment afterwards, but for that second, everything felt right.

Jeremy was still quivering when they pulled apart, but it was the sensation of dissipating anxiety. However, his heart leapt when he opened his eyes; all of the colors that had once been bland and boring were now vibrant and lively. All of it tied together into the perfect moment when Michael let slip that giddy little giggle he had when he was particularly happy.

Yet, some doubt still crept into Jeremy's mind. "Do you see anything?" he questioned timidly.

Michael gave him a genuine smile. "Since preschool."

And in that moment, as they sat together and all was perfect, one thing was for sure: Michael Mell was his soulmate.


End file.
